Fabric or elastic heel tab to attach shoes with heels to display hangers

ABSTRACT

A shoe display system is provided for promoting and selling shoes. The shoe display system comprises a combination of a shoe and a receiving loop. The receiving loop is formed by a receiving strip of material fixed at opposite end portions to inside the heel counter of said shoe.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to displaying and selling shoeswithout using shoe boxes, and more specifically, to tabs attached toshoes for display and sale purposes.

Footwear is traditionally packed and transported in shoe boxes. Fordisplay purposes, a cover of the shoebox is often removed to enable acustomer to view shoes packed therein. More often, a representative shoeis removed from the shoe box and placed on a table or rack for customerinspection. The representative shoe is virtually never the same as theshoe ultimately purchased, typically because the representative shoe isthe wrong size or color, or has been damaged during multiple customerhandlings.

As can be seen, there is a need for a more effective and visuallypleasing method of suspending and displaying a pair of shoes, andindicating the trademark, style, size, price, and/or other informationin retail stores.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a shoe display system comprisesa shoe; and a receiving loop formed by a receiving strip of materialfixed at opposite end portions to inside the heel counter of the shoe.

In another aspect of the present invention, a method of promoting a shoefor sale comprises forming a receiving loop by attaching opposite firstand second ends of a strip to the shoe; and hanging the shoe through theformed loop for a purchaser to view.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention in use;

FIG. 1 a is a front perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 1 b is a side perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 1 c is a close up front view of the exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a front view of another exemplary embodiment of the present inuse;

FIG. 2 a is a front perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 b is a side perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 c is a close up front view of the exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a front view of yet another exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention in use;

FIG. 3 a is a front perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 b is a side perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 3 c is a close up front view of the exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention shown in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Various inventive features are described below that can each be usedindependently of one another or in combination with other features.

Broadly, embodiments of the present invention generally provide methodsand systems of providing a shoe display. More specifically, theexemplary embodiments of the present invention provide an attachment ofan elastic or fabric strip inside of the heel counter of the shoe at ornear the top line of the back counter.

FIG. 1 depicts a front view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention in use with FIGS. 1 a-1 c showing the exemplary embodimentfrom different angles. A strip 10 used for the present invention may bea narrow, elongated, flexible plastic or fabric unit. Furthermore, suchstrip 10 may be durable and elastic. Moreover, using elastic strips andincreasing the length and tension of the strip 10 may provide additionalfit options.

Both ends of the strip 14 a and 14 b may be sewn on the inside the heelcounter 16 of a shoe 13 at two different locations. Alternatively, bothends of the strip 14 a and 14 b may be sewn on the same position insidethe heel counter 16. A sewing thread may not penetrate through the heel18 of the shoe 13 and thus the attachment of the strip 10 does notdamage the shoe when a sewing thread and a sewing machine are used.Instead, the thread may be sewn through the fabric inside the heelcounter 16. Alternatively, both ends of the strip 14 a and 14 b may beglued to the heel counter 16 by using an adhesive machine. A receivingloop 10 may be formed after both ends 14 a and 14 b of the strip 10 weresewn or glued to the back counter 16 and a center portion 15 may bepullable away from the heel counter 16 of the shoe 13 to provide an opencenter. In addition, the receiving loop 10 may be located on the shoe ina vertical position (shown in FIGS. 1 and 3), such that it extendssubstantially vertically to the ground when the shoe 13 is worn by awearer.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 2, the receiving loop 20 may be locatedon the shoe in a horizontal position, such that it may extendsubstantially horizontally to the ground when the shoe 14 is worn by awearer. Both ends 24 a and 24 b of the receiving loop 20 may be sewn orglued to the back counter 16 with a center portion 25 which may bepullable away from the heel counter 16.

As shown in FIG. 3, two ends 34 a and 34 b may be sewn or glued at thesame position of the top line 38 of the back counter of the shoe 13. Thereceiving strip 30 may be permanently or temporarily attached to theshoe 13. Furthermore, the receiving strip 30 may be fabricated ofmaterial similar in at least one of pattern and color to that of theshoe to which it is affixed.

As shown in FIG. 3, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention mayinclude a hanger 12 which is used to hang the shoe 13. An end tip 11 aor 11 b may run through the receiving loop 30 of the shoe 13. The ends11 a, 11 b of the hanger 12 may utilize a clasping mechanism forreleasably securing said loop 30. Alternatively, the ends 11 a, 11 b ofthe hanger 12 may utilize a hooking mechanism for releasably securingsaid loop.

One embodiment of the present invention may further help a purchaser toview the displayed shoes which may be hung by a hanger through a formedloop. In addition, the embodiment further comprises exposing the shoe'strademark, style, size, price, and other information of the shoe betterfor a purchaser to view. Especially, the purchaser may see the toe ofthe shoe clearly when the shoe is being hanged up.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

1. A shoe display system comprising: a shoe; and a receiving loop formedby a receiving strip of material fixed at opposite end portions toinside the heel counter of the shoe.
 2. The shoe display system of claim1, wherein the receiving loop extends substantially horizontally to theground when said shoe is worn by a wearer.
 3. The shoe display system ofclaim 1, wherein the receiving loop extends substantially vertically tothe ground when said shoe is worn by a wearer.
 4. The shoe displaysystem of claim 1, wherein the receiving loop extends from the edge ofthe inside of the heel counter.
 5. The shoe display system of claim 1,wherein the receiving strip is fabricated of material similar in atleast one of pattern and color to that of the shoe to which it isaffixed.
 6. The shoe display system of claim 1, wherein the receivingstrip is permanently attached to the shoe.
 7. The shoe display system ofclaim 1, wherein the receiving strip is temporarily attached to theshoe.
 8. A method of promoting a shoe for sale, comprising: forming areceiving loop by attaching opposite first and second ends of a strip tothe shoe; and hanging the shoe through the formed loop for a purchaserto view.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising exposing one oftrademark, style, size, price, and other information of the shoe to helpthe purchaser to view.
 10. The method of claim 9, further comprisingexposing the toe of the shoe up to for the purchaser to view.